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The Legacy of John Endecott

Have you ever wondered how Endicott got its name? Sure, you may know the history of the school with founder Dr. Eleanor Tupper and her husband Dr. George O. Bierkoe, but there’s more to the tale. To see some artifacts from Endicott’s origin, visit the John Endecott exhibit in the Diane Halle Library foyer. As part of the Essex County Trails and Sails 10th Anniversary “Life and Legacy of Governor John Endecott in Essex County” program, the Endicott exhibit in the Halle Library shows why the Founders selected the name. The exhibit includes original letters from Eleanor Tupper on the details of the school, from naming discussions to the importance of internships, a principle that has remained until today.

Endicott College was named for John Endecott (1558-1664, sometimes spelled Endicott) an English colonial magistrate and the first colonial Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The permanent settlement they organized was called Naumkeag, after the local Indian tribe, but was renamed Salem in 1629. It included land from north of the Merrimack River to land south of the Charles River.

A portrait of John Endecott hangs in the College Hall library today.

Hours of the exhibit are the same as the Halle Library this weekend, the last of the Trails & Sails festival: Friday 10a.m. – 4p.m., Saturday 11a.m. – 4p.m., and Sunday 12p.m. – 4p.m. For more information call (978) 232-2257.